Set up a menu board

A menu board keeps your menu as data: categories, and products with prices, descriptions and allergy information. You design the screen once. After that, a price change or a sold-out dish is a quick edit to the menu, and the layout picks up the change.

This page builds a weekend brunch menu for Harbour Cafe.

Note

Menu boards are switched on per account. If you don’t see Menu Boards under Library, email hello@casty.co.uk and we’ll turn it on for you.

Create the menu board

1. In the menu on the left, open Library and click Menu Boards. Then click Add Menu Board.

   

2. Choose your venue’s folder and type a Name. Code and Description are optional. Click Save.

   

Add a category

Categories group your products, such as Breakfast, Brunch or Drinks.

1. Click More actions on the menu board’s row and choose View Categories.

   

2. Click Add Category. Type a Name, and if you like a Description and a picture or video under Media. Click Save.

   

Add products

1. Click More actions on the category’s row and choose View Products. Then click Add Product.

   

2. On the General tab, type the Name and Price. Type the price as a number, without the £ sign. Display Order sets where the product comes in the list (1 is first). Under Media you can pick a photo from your library. Leave Availability on.

   

3. On the Details tab, add a Description, Allergy Information and Calories if you want to show them.

   

4. On the Product Options tab, click the + bar to add an extra, such as a side or a topping, with its price.

   

5. Click Save. Add the rest of your products the same way.

   

Show the menu on a layout

The Menu Board: Products widget places each part of a product (its name, price, description and so on) wherever you want it on the screen. Each product has a numbered slot: slot 1 is the first product in the list, slot 2 the second.

1. Create a layout and add your background as in Design a layout.

2. Click Add widgets in the toolbox and click Menu Board: Products. Drag Name onto the canvas.

   

3. On the Configure tab, choose your menu under Menu, then your Category. Leave Sort by on Display Order.

   

4. On the Appearance tab, set the font, colour and size, then position it. Data Slot shows which product it is.

5. Drag Price next to the name. On its Appearance tab, type £ into Prefix so the price shows with a pound sign. Add Description under the name in the same way.

   

6. For the next product, right-click each element and choose Duplicate. Move the copy down, and on its Appearance tab change Data Slot to 2. Repeat for slots 3, 4 and so on.

   

7. Add a heading with a Text element from Global Elements, then preview and publish the layout.

   

The finished menu:

To show a category’s name, description or photo from the menu board, use the Menu Board: Category widget in the same way.

Change a price

1. Go to Library, Menu Boards, open the category’s products, and click the pencil icon (Edit) on the product’s row.

2. Change the Price and click Save.

   

You don’t need to touch the layout. The menu on screen shows the new price.

Take a product off when it sells out

1. Click the pencil icon (Edit) on the product’s row.

2. Switch Availability to Off and click Save.

   

The product shows a cross in the Availability column, and it no longer appears on the screen. Switch Availability back on to bring it back.

Next steps

Schedule contentPut your menu on the right screens.

Cafe: breakfast and lunch menusSwitch menus over automatically during the day.